Gaming Forums => Nintendo Gaming => Topic started by: ejamer on July 30, 2013, 06:47:06 PM
Title: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 => help justify the purchase...
Post by: ejamer on July 30, 2013, 06:47:06 PM
[Edited subject.]
So I saw that Canadian Walmart stores are blowing out the remaining basic Wii U models for $200 this week, after Best saw the same price point on their website earlier this week.
My gaming budget is limited... but $200 for a brand new console could be doable. Sure, the basic model doesn't come with a game and the hard drive is puny - but I don't care about Nintendo Land anyway and strongly prefer physical ownership over digital licensing. So the sale price got me thinking: is it time to pony up for a new console? I'd be able to transfer over all of my old Wii content (and I've got a lot of Wii content to transfer) and we'd finally get our first in-house HD device.
...
But then I looked at metacritic to see what games have been released. Zombie U looks awesome, and right up my alley. And, um, er... Star Wars Pinball. Plus there is the Rayman sequel that I'd love to get. Oh, that's still not released yet?
I don't know how anyone can reasonably justify buying a Wii U based on what is available right now. Seriously: what was the plan with this console exactly? Ugh.
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 and I still can't justify the purchase... :(
Post by: NWR_insanolord on July 30, 2013, 07:15:56 PM
I bought it at launch based on a lineup of games that hadn't been announced yet but I knew were coming at some point. The lineup isn't great at the moment, but there's a pretty good string of releases the rest of the year starting with Pikmin 3 in five days.
Still, if you don't have another HD console then the lineup's considerably better, with a lot of fairly good ports of multiplatform games. Most of them are pretty cheap at this point if you want physical copies like you said.
Another thing to consider is this $200 price point is almost certainly a limited time proposition, and when the console gets a lineup you're more interested in you may have to pay considerably more.
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 and I still can't justify the purchase... :(
Post by: ShyGuy on July 30, 2013, 08:02:30 PM
Are you interested in Nintendo Land, New Super Mario Brothers U, New Super Luigi U, Scribblenauts U, Lego City Undercover, Monster Hunter 3, Need For Speed Most Wanted, Game and Wario, Pikmin 3, Nano Assault Neo, Little Inferno, Bit Trip Runner, or Toki Tori 2?
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 and I still can't justify the purchase... :(
Post by: ejamer on July 30, 2013, 09:02:03 PM
Are you interested in Nintendo Land, New Super Mario Brothers U, New Super Luigi U, Scribblenauts U, Lego City Undercover, Monster Hunter 3, Need For Speed Most Wanted, Game and Wario, Pikmin 3, Nano Assault Neo, Little Inferno, Bit Trip Runner, or Toki Tori 2?
No. None of those titles appeal to me (well, maybe Pikmin 3 if it's heavily discounted... but I'm not counting on it hitting $20 or less in the near future). Almost half I've played on other platforms, a few really aren't that good to begin with, and the rest just aren't up my alley.
I'm well aware of what games Wii U has. The problem isn't awareness - it's content, and Wii U is severely lacking... Buying now under the assumption that there will be enough software later to justify the purchase isn't a good selling point when I can only afford one console (if that) from the new generation.
Nintendo has lost me for this generation of consoles. My confidence is shaken, and that's not easy to rebuild. Losing one customer doesn't matter... but if someone who owns 2 Wii consoles, over 170 retail Wii games, plus a significant number of digital downloads loses faith in Nintendo's ability to provide a compelling experience then it's easy to believe that mainstream consumers aren't impressed either.
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 and I still can't justify the purchase... :(
Post by: Luigi Dude on July 30, 2013, 09:18:23 PM
$200 is the cheapest the system will be until at least 2016. Nintendo is clearing the Basic models fast and if they do drop the price on the Deluxe, the most they'll drop it too is $300, and that's what'll it'll be for at least another year before dropping to $250 for another year and then finally $200. Of course that is assuming sales don't pick up because if they do pick up this Fall, then it'll take even longer for the prices to drop and it could easily be 2017 until it's $200. If you want to be able to play any Wii U games in the next several years, this is the cheapest deal you're going to find for a long time.
So if you don't take advantage of it now, don't bitch about the system being too expensive in the next 3 years because you had your chance to get it while it was cheap.
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 and I still can't justify the purchase... :(
Post by: Wah on July 30, 2013, 09:24:39 PM
Just saying you really want Nintendo land. Who needs theme parks when u have this. (fav Metriod blast)
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 and I still can't justify the purchase... :(
Post by: Shaymin on July 30, 2013, 09:36:54 PM
A $200 Basic and Earthbound is still cheaper than the cart if that's any help, even taking into account taxes.
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 and I still can't justify the purchase... :(
Post by: ShyGuy on July 30, 2013, 10:35:08 PM
So there were 170 Wii Games that floated your boat, but nothing in my list? You sir, have unusual tastes.
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 and I still can't justify the purchase... :(
Post by: Mop it up on July 30, 2013, 10:40:24 PM
Are you interested in Nintendo Land, New Super Mario Brothers U, New Super Luigi U, Scribblenauts U, Lego City Undercover, Monster Hunter 3, Need For Speed Most Wanted, Game and Wario, Pikmin 3, Nano Assault Neo, Little Inferno, Bit Trip Runner, or Toki Tori 2?
Most of these interest me! But... I don't want the Basic...
Hm...
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 and I still can't justify the purchase... :(
Post by: Adrock on July 30, 2013, 10:55:15 PM
I'd add Trine 2 and Mighty Switch Force HD to that list, both of which seem to go on sale fairly often. Resident Evil Revelaitons HD is also quite good and the price will likely drop in the next month or so.
$200 is a great price though I suppose right now you'd be buying it on potential. There are some good games coming up this year even if 2014 is the one we're all waiting for. If I didn't ready have a Wii U, I would strongly consider getting one at $200 even though it's the basic ($150 can get you a lot). Then again, I'm upgrading to a 3DS XL soon (and selling/giving my original to my brother) so clearly, I have no consistent concept of careful spending.
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 and I still can't justify the purchase... :(
Post by: Ymeegod on July 30, 2013, 11:40:25 PM
"first in-house HD device"
? Might be better of hitting craigslist and buying an PS3 or Xbox 360 since the game selection is huge and cheaper at the same time.
Been holding out of buying WII U as well, can already get them at $200 used on craigslist but I'm waiting for an redesign model--one that allows me to use HDMI output and RCA at the same time (for my headphones).
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 and I still can't justify the purchase... :(
Post by: BranDonk Kong on July 30, 2013, 11:45:34 PM
I'd add Trine 2 and Mighty Switch Force HD to that list, both of which seem to go on sale fairly often. Resident Evil Revelaitons HD is also quite good and the price will likely drop in the next month or so.
$200 is a great price though I suppose right now you'd be buying it on potential. There are some good games coming up this year even if 2014 is the one we're all waiting for. If I didn't ready have a Wii U, I would strongly consider getting one at $200 even though it's the basic ($150 can get you a lot). Then again, I'm upgrading to a 3DS XL soon (and selling/giving my original to my brother) so clearly, I have no consistent concept of careful spending.
You get applauded for the nod to the 3DS spelling of Revalaitons. Well played.
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 and I still can't justify the purchase... :(
Post by: ejamer on July 31, 2013, 12:00:09 AM
So there were 170 Wii Games that floated your boat, but nothing in my list? You sir, have unusual tastes.
Once I own a console, my standard of what's worth buying drops. If the game looks interesting and the price is reasonable, I'll pick it up. Wii had a huge number of potential interesting (if often flawed) games that were sold relatively cheap. Over the course of several years, that builds into a pretty significant collection.
A dozen B-list (arguably worse) games, many of which I've already played on other platforms, isn't a good enough reason for me to go out and buy the console in the first place though. All Nintendo needs is one "must play" experience... but it's not there, and the Wii U looks every so much worse off because of that.
Again, venting because my fanboy side wants to buy in. $200 sounds pretty reasonable. But after a couple of hours thinking about it, I still can't come up with a good enough justification... and every time I look at the list of games available (or coming soon) it makes me that much more disinterested.
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 and I still can't justify the purchase... :(
Post by: azeke on July 31, 2013, 12:05:38 AM
I would suggest Toki Tori 2 as non-linear (almost metroidvania) game with big interconnected world. It definitely felt like worthy follow-up after i beat La-Mulana, not only in terms of game structure but also in terms of difficulty (though puzzles in TT2 are so much better).
Too bad the game wasn't a big motivator in the first place, and it's available on Steam anyway.
Do whatever you like, but i highly suggest you and everyone giving TT2 a try, Wii U or not.
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 and I still can't justify the purchase... :(
Post by: Oblivion on July 31, 2013, 12:36:05 AM
Are you interested in Nintendo Land, New Super Mario Brothers U, New Super Luigi U, Scribblenauts U, Lego City Undercover, Monster Hunter 3, Need For Speed Most Wanted, Game and Wario, Pikmin 3, Nano Assault Neo, Little Inferno, Bit Trip Runner, or Toki Tori 2?
No. None of those titles appeal to me (well, maybe Pikmin 3 if it's heavily discounted... but I'm not counting on it hitting $20 or less in the near future). Almost half I've played on other platforms, a few really aren't that good to begin with, and the rest just aren't up my alley.
I'm well aware of what games Wii U has. The problem isn't awareness - it's content, and Wii U is severely lacking... Buying now under the assumption that there will be enough software later to justify the purchase isn't a good selling point when I can only afford one console (if that) from the new generation.
Nintendo has lost me for this generation of consoles. My confidence is shaken, and that's not easy to rebuild. Losing one customer doesn't matter... but if someone who owns 2 Wii consoles, over 170 retail Wii games, plus a significant number of digital downloads loses faith in Nintendo's ability to provide a compelling experience then it's easy to believe that mainstream consumers aren't impressed either.
If you aren't interested in ANY of those titles... then you probably shouldn't be a gamer.
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 and I still can't justify the purchase... :(
Post by: Retro Deckades on July 31, 2013, 12:44:01 AM
I'm currently playing through Batman: Arkham City: Armoured Edition on the Wii U, for the first time, and I'm finding it to be fun as hell. As someone who doesn't own a 360 or a PS3, you might want to check out some of the multi-platform third party releases.
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 and I still can't justify the purchase... :(
Post by: Luigi Dude on July 31, 2013, 01:16:13 AM
A dozen B-list (arguably worse) games, many of which I've already played on other platforms, isn't a good enough reason for me to go out and buy the console in the first place though. All Nintendo needs is one "must play" experience... but it's not there, and the Wii U looks every so much worse off because of that.
Really, you're not even interested in Monolith Soft's new game which is a big budget gameplay sequel to Xenoblade.
Last I checked, from last years Xenoblade thread, you were a big fan of that game.
So I re-started a while back after getting my North American copy and have been greatly enjoying Xenoblade a second time. Honestly, I hadn't been able to put in as much time as I wanted initially so didn't lose that much progress - maybe a couple of dozen hours.
Progress is faster/better than expected in many places because the learning curve has been reduced, and I've learned a lot of new tricks from tutorials that had been skipped through a bit too quickly the first time through. Progress has been slower than expected in other places because I (again) got caught up with side-quests, doing a bunch of early quests that I had skipped my first time through.
But today I had a moment that made me stop and appreciate the game again. Fairly early on I was exploring and checking out the world while trying to finish some side-quests when I stumbled onto a partially hidden pathway that lead to a cool secret area where I found a special item that triggered a huge (for that point in time) mini-boss to ambush my party. This stuff was all totally optional as far as I can tell, and was totally missed during my first time playing the game. Yes, my party got destroyed in a single hit - my efforts to run lead to a short pursual and painful death. No, that death didn't matter or cause me to lose any progress.
So yeah. Xenoblade isn't a perfect game, but moments like this where I'm filled with wonder, excitement, and dread over the span of a few minutes makes it a perfect experience for me.
So the sequel to a game you thought was a perfect experience last year, isn't a must play experience anymore? If you want another perfect experience, then you might want to take that $200 deal now, because when X comes out in 2014, the Deluxe Wii U's won't be anywhere close to $200, and these cheaper Basic models will be long gone.
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 and I still can't justify the purchase... :(
Post by: MegaByte on July 31, 2013, 01:23:19 AM
So there were 170 Wii Games that floated your boat, but nothing in my list? You sir, have unusual tastes.
Once I own a console, my standard of what's worth buying drops. If the game looks interesting and the price is reasonable, I'll pick it up. Wii had a huge number of potential interesting (if often flawed) games that were sold relatively cheap. Over the course of several years, that builds into a pretty significant collection.
A dozen B-list (arguably worse) games, many of which I've already played on other platforms, isn't a good enough reason for me to go out and buy the console in the first place though. All Nintendo needs is one "must play" experience... but it's not there, and the Wii U looks every so much worse off because of that.
Again, venting because my fanboy side wants to buy in. $200 sounds pretty reasonable. But after a couple of hours thinking about it, I still can't come up with a good enough justification... and every time I look at the list of games available (or coming soon) it makes me that much more disinterested.
Okay, I'm think I'm starting to get a picture here. Let me see if I understand this correctly:
You view the purchase of a console as a commitment. Judging by your previous gen behavior, you pick one system and use it to the maximum. You do this partially for time and budgetary reasons. You fill in your catalog of that console's games when you find bargains on the titles. You want quantity of experience.
You are afraid that the Wii U will not provide you with a 170+ game experiences over its lifetime.
I see a few options here.
1. Hitch your wagon to a different console for more money. go join SonyWorldReport.com or whatever, and enjoy your Michael Bay-style games.
2. Break your monogamous habits and become a two console household. Wii U and PS4. This will cost more money upfront, so the trade off may be 50+ games on each platform instead of 170+. Quality over quantity.
3. Become a PC gamer. put your $200 (plus possibly more $$) towards upgrading your computer and hop on the Steam Train. Tons of diversity, giant backlog, and Steam bargains galore. Humble Bundles, GoG.com...
4. If you have played a lot of the games I listed already, you must have easy access to other consoles. A friend has a 360 and/or PS3 perhaps? Are they jumping up to the PS4 or Xbone? Then take a chance on the Wii U. Realize that your $200 investment will take some time to pay off fully. Get Wonderful 101 in a month, enjoy Hi-Def Youtube on your TV.
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 and I still can't justify the purchase... :(
Post by: ejamer on July 31, 2013, 08:36:10 AM
... Do whatever you like, but i highly suggest you and everyone giving TT2 a try, Wii U or not.
Probably will, based on your recommendation and love of La Mulana (a game that I didn't complete, but enjoyed immensely). Was thinking about playing via Steam, but see no Unix support which limits my options.
... If you aren't interested in ANY of those titles... then you probably shouldn't be a gamer.
Most people will say I'm not a real gamer already - after all, I did own a Wii last gen and feel that it was an excellent console instead of just a supplemental one. I'm ok with other people having different opinions about what games are/aren't worth playing.
... Really, you're not even interested in Monolith Soft's new game which is a big budget gameplay sequel to Xenoblade. ...
Is it coming out in North America in 2014, confirmed? This game is the one major selling point for me grabbing a Wii U.
I bought a 3DS when the price dropped in anticipation of some big titles - Monster Hunter and Resident Evil. Getting the price drop and the Ambassador games seemed like a good deal... but later on 3DS consoles dropped to $100 on sale (multiple times even) and the only game that had actually been released yet was Resident Evil. I love my 3DS now... but there was a long, dry spell where it was used almost exclusively as an expensive DS with lower build quality.
If Wii U follows that trend, then there is no reason to buy now at $200. It will take years before there are games I really want to play to come out, and by that time there will probably be deals that are just as good or better for owning the console.
... 2. Break your monogamous habits and become a two console household. Wii U and PS4. This will cost more money upfront, so the trade off may be 50+ games on each platform instead of 170+. Quality over quantity.
... Then take a chance on the Wii U. Realize that your $200 investment will take some time to pay off fully. ...
This is what it comes down to, I guess. Really, option 2 is probably the best choice for what I want - it's just getting past that fanboy (ie: childish) desire to own a console exclusively and to the fullest extent possible. As an investment, $200 for entertainment over a period of many years isn't bad - even if the investment doesn't really start to pay dividends for a while.
That said, given the size of my Wii collection maybe I don't really care about getting so many games next gen. Cherry picking one or two "must have" games while relying on backwards compatibility might be sufficient for the next couple of years.
Plus my Wii is starting to make funny clicking noises a couple of seconds after being turned off. Given Nintendo's user-friendly account system for digital content... that's got me kind of nervous. Transfering everything over now and selling the old Wii while it still has some value (and works) might not be a bad idea.
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 and I still can't justify the purchase... :(
Post by: Oblivion on July 31, 2013, 01:56:30 PM
The 3DS has NEVER been $100 on sale. Never.
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 and I still can't justify the purchase... :(
Post by: Oblivion on July 31, 2013, 02:04:02 PM
Never.
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 and I still can't justify the purchase... :(
Post by: Ymeegod on July 31, 2013, 03:02:16 PM
Actually there was a couple times the 3DS (first one) hit the $100 mark but that's with mail-in-rebates or GC offers.
I recall Citi Bank CC had a promo going for $99 3ds if you opened an account with them. Target had them on sale for $170 plus $40 GC + $30 mail in rebate--hense the $99 deal.
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 and I still can't justify the purchase... :(
Post by: ejamer on July 31, 2013, 03:24:30 PM
Walmart in Canada has had several sales where 3DS dropped to $120 or less - but yes, it might have required the mail-in rebate to hit $100.
FutureShop in Canada has had the 3DS marked down to $130 with a $30 instant rebate coupon added when you go to purchase. Don't think the mail-in rebate was still valid at this point in time so it ended up being $100 plus tax.
Maybe it's never been on sale like that in your region though.
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 and I still can't justify the purchase... :(
Post by: ejamer on July 31, 2013, 04:35:01 PM
Some questions, in case anyone is still reading this thread and not totally turned off by my complaints.
IF a new Wii U was to show up at my house, then backwards compatibility would be a major selling point for the near-term future. (Well, backwards compatibility and probably Monster Hunter because I'm weak that way.)
1) What do I need to know about backwards compatibility, and using a Wii U console to play Wii games? 2) Is the data transfer worth doing? (This would be a selling point, as putting digital content on a more reliable console would be nice, and so would selling the old console to help subsidize this purchase.) 3) Non-transferrable software: What happens to my copy of Lost Winds? It's on Nintendo's "doesn't transfer" list... will it remain accessible on my Wii? Are there other games/save files/additional content could get "lost"? (I've seen Nintendo's list, but heard rumors that any games no longer listed in the Wii Shop could also be a problem. Looking for opinions/experiences instead of a link to the Nintendo FAQ.) 4) I have a ton of content stored on the SD card, because the Wii's internal memory isn't big enough. Better to cram as much as possible onto my Wii before transferring, or just re-download later?
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 and I still can't justify the purchase... :(
Post by: Mop it up on July 31, 2013, 05:33:27 PM
1. No GameCube controller support, obviously. That's about the only thing that's different, the games still function the same. It works like GameCube mode works on Wii: It is essentially a Wii, no Wii U controllers or features will function and you'll need Wii controllers. 2. If you ever want to upgrade your VC games to the Wii U versions when they release, then you'll need to do the transfer. Now that homebrew works in Wii mode it isn't a reason to keep stuff on a real Wii anymore. 3. Yes, LostWinds will remain on your old Wii, as reported by people who have it. You can try searching GameFAQs to see if anyone had trouble transferring the unlisted games, but I just looked and I didn't see anyone who had such a problem. When you do the transfer you will see the list of all your games that are being transferred, so you'll be sure that it's moving over. 4. It doesn't matter what's on your internal memory or SD card, you're not transferring the actual games. You're just transferring the licnences to the Wii U, and so you will have to re-download anything you want to play. The Wii mode has the same amount of space as the Wii, so you won't be able to store more games than a Wii can.
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 and I still can't justify the purchase... :(
Post by: ShyGuy on July 31, 2013, 05:39:40 PM
Almost everything will transfer from your Wii leaving it blank and empty. It will take a while, 40 minutes for me. Wii Mode is an item on the Wii U menu screen, the Wii U gamepad goes dark in Wii mode.
The Lost Winds thing is weird. It's not listed in the eshop on the Wii virtual system. Other items I purchased still appear as downloadable in the virtual Wii eshop. There was word of fixing it at one point, but I haven't heard anything in a while. Pretty sure the Sequel is okay.
Keep in mind the Wii U isn't Gamecube compatible.
I think leaving stuff on the SD card is fine, I still keep several Wii games on my SD card in the Wii U and play them no problem.
I don't know how much a used Wii goes for in Canada, but I saw one for $40 here in Spokane.
Also, in the news today, apparently several retailers are delisting the Wii U 8gb edition, so I think Nintendo is discontinuing it, hence the sales price.
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 and I still can't justify the purchase... :(
Post by: ShyGuy on July 31, 2013, 05:40:42 PM
Actually Mop It Up, I didn't have to redownload the games I had on my SD card.
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 and I still can't justify the purchase... :(
Post by: Mop it up on July 31, 2013, 05:42:11 PM
Oh, really? I had heard people complain about how the games on their SD card didn't work with the Wii U until they re-downloaded them, but maybe that was a different case...
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 and I still can't justify the purchase... :(
Post by: MagicCow64 on July 31, 2013, 05:43:48 PM
Be prepared for the byzantine transfer process. Took me like two hours, due partially to transfer errors that required me to start over a bunch of times.
To follow up on the post from above, Toki Tor 2 is probably my favorite game on the console so far. NSMBU was a bit of a let down, Nintendo Land is a joke as a retail release, Zombi U is okay but I don't think I'll wind up finishing it if I can't get my load of guns back from my most recent dead character, Assassin's Creed III is pretty terrible, Runner 2 is okay. Really nothing I've played so far is on Toki Tori 2's level. Will probably try out Lego City and Darksiders at some point, but I don't expect to be blown away by either.
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 and I still can't justify the purchase... :(
Post by: azeke on July 31, 2013, 11:21:56 PM
2) Is the data transfer worth doing? (This would be a selling point, as putting digital content on a more reliable console would be nice, and so would selling the old console to help subsidize this purchase.)
4) I have a ton of content stored on the SD card, because the Wii's internal memory isn't big enough. Better to cram as much as possible onto my Wii before transferring, or just re-download later?
I think you can't do this transfer in half. You have to go all in. After transfer all games regardless where they are will become unavailable.
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 and I still can't justify the purchase... :(
Post by: smallsharkbigbite on August 01, 2013, 06:42:03 AM
Oh, really? I had heard people complain about how the games on their SD card didn't work with the Wii U until they re-downloaded them, but maybe that was a different case...
You don't have to re-download them if they are on your Wii Console 512 MB hard drive. If you have games on an external SD card you will have to re-download them. You have to copy the SD card tool to the Wii which takes up a decent amount of space. I was able to get a handful of games transferred to my Wii, but ultimately spent a couple of hours re-downloading content that wouldn't fit on my Wii. Such is the joy of living in the country with crappy internet.
Quote
Quote from: ejamer on Yesterday at 01:35:01 PM (http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/forums/index.php?topic=42298.msg804221#msg804221)4) I have a ton of content stored on the SD card, because the Wii's internal memory isn't big enough. Better to cram as much as possible onto my Wii before transferring, or just re-download later?I think you can't do this transfer in half. You have to go all in. After transfer all games regardless where they are will become unavailable.
Yes, it helps to transfer as much as possible. The Wii HD is copied to an SD card and essentially becomes your Wii Hard Drive on the Wii U. Any SD card that was attached to your previous Wii will not work and will need to be re-downloaded. All the games that I fit on my Wii were fine and didn't need to be re-downloaded.
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 => help justify the purchase...
Post by: lolmonade on August 01, 2013, 09:23:53 PM
So, I want to summarize your comments so far in this thread regarding your decisionmaking in whether or not to purchase a Wii U Basic Model:
$200 is a good price for a Wii U (+)
But you don't find interest in any current or near-future titles other than Zombi U (-)
BUT once you own a console, it's easier for you to justify purchasing games (+)
Ports of (now) older games don't interest you (-)
Digital titles don't interest you, so the small hard drive isn't a problem (+)
Wii U has Wii backwards compatibility (+)
With that in mind, I think the real question for you is "Do I want to purchase a Wii U for $200 (arguably the lowest price you'll find one for a long, long time) for future potential games you may like down the road even if it may be a while?".
If you buy today, you're tying up that $200 to snag a good deal on the system in hopes that Nintendo produces compelling games to you. If you're price sensitive and $200 is near the cost threshold for you in a console, then either a Basic Wii U or used PS3/Xbox 360 might be the viable options for you right now.
For either console, you can find good deals on games if you look around. You would be getting a nice, large library for the PS3/Xbox route, but those system's new releases are going to dry up, while the Wii U's library is going to grow from this point.
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 => help justify the purchase...
Post by: ejamer on August 02, 2013, 09:59:11 AM
Can anyone suggest a good GIF?
The posts here convinced me that, as a long term gaming investment for the next 4-5 years, a Wii U would be worth buying. Unfortunately, after getting the console home and setting everything up I found out that the sync button on the console was faulty and it's impossible to sync the gamepad. Now I have to return it or send the system in to Nintendo for repairs. (Guess which one of those options I'll pick.)
Maybe it's just not meant to be.
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 => help justify the purchase...
Post by: Oblivion on August 02, 2013, 01:23:15 PM
Return it. Have the retailer get you a new one. Simple as that. Are you sure you just weren't syncing it correctly?
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 => help justify the purchase...
Post by: ejamer on August 02, 2013, 02:16:02 PM
Return it. Have the retailer get you a new one. Simple as that. Are you sure you just weren't syncing it correctly?
The sync button on the console doesn't work. No matter how it's pressed - light, firm, long, short, once, repeatedly, with a finger of a stylus or a pin - there is no response from the console so it's impossible to find out what symbols I would enter on the gamepad to continue.
NoA support didn't offer any suggestion. After a few questions her only response was "that really sounds broken, wish I could help but you'll need to return it".
There were 2 consoles left in store when I bought, and because it's basically a clearance item I'm unlikely to get more while the sale is still on. Guess I'll find out whether sale pricing has increased interest enough to move them or not - if the store is sold out then I'll take it as a sign that I'm not meant to own one.
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 => help justify the purchase...
Post by: Mop it up on August 02, 2013, 05:23:24 PM
Software and save data that may already exist on an SD card from the source Wii console cannot be transferred directly. If you have data on the SD card, perform the following:For software, either transfer it back to the source Wii console before performing the transfer, or redownload it after the transfer using the Wii Shop Channel on the target Wii U console's Wii Menu. ()
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 => help justify the purchase...
Post by: ShyGuy on August 02, 2013, 07:28:39 PM
I don't know how my SD games are working then, I didn't re-download anything.
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 => help justify the purchase...
Post by: pokepal148 on August 02, 2013, 10:04:38 PM
Return it. Have the retailer get you a new one. Simple as that. Are you sure you just weren't syncing it correctly?
The sync button on the console doesn't work. No matter how it's pressed - light, firm, long, short, once, repeatedly, with a finger of a stylus or a pin - there is no response from the console so it's impossible to find out what symbols I would enter on the gamepad to continue.
NoA support didn't offer any suggestion. After a few questions her only response was "that really sounds broken, wish I could help but you'll need to return it".
There were 2 consoles left in store when I bought, and because it's basically a clearance item I'm unlikely to get more while the sale is still on. Guess I'll find out whether sale pricing has increased interest enough to move them or not - if the store is sold out then I'll take it as a sign that I'm not meant to own one.
or you can request that they order one from another branch or something.
frankly i expect the model we now know as the deluxe to drop its price to around $270 if they really are phasing out the basic so perhaps it would be better for you to wait until then.
If you can't get a full replacement from the store then i suggest going back to Nintendo. I have worked with their customer service before they are absolutely excellent and I imagine they will be willing to get something worked out once they learn that your efforts to do so with the retailer were in vain
I also suspect that publishers will continue down-porting PS4/Xbone games to the current crop of consoles for as long as possible so it will probably be wise to see what happens then.
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 => help justify the purchase...
Post by: ejamer on August 03, 2013, 07:59:44 AM
... frankly i expect the model we now know as the deluxe to drop its price to around $270 if they really are phasing out the basic so perhaps it would be better for you to wait until then.
For me, the Deluxe version isn't worth an extra $70. Hard drive space isn't enough to prevent the need for an external drive, Nintendo Land can be bought for under $15, and the stands are very nice but not worth paying much for.
So value comes down to how much digital content you plan to buy. Worth it to some... not really for me.
Quote
... If you can't get a full replacement from the store then i suggest going back to Nintendo. I have worked with their customer service before they are absolutely excellent and I imagine they will be willing to get something worked out once they learn that your efforts to do so with the retailer were in vain ...
If I was more excited about the console, then I definitely would've done this. But even though it's a good value at $200, I'm just as happy to have that money back in my account instead.
Tip for Canadian Wii U owners: Check your local Walmart. Batman, Black Ops 2, and Nintendo Land (among others) are marked down in SOME (not all) Walmart stores.
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 => help justify the purchase...
Post by: Shaymin on August 03, 2013, 09:12:18 AM
That's a pricing error that will be corrected shortly. Also, f**k you to the people who hoarded the games and got a bunch of games taken off the Futureshop/Best Buy Trade 2 for (game) list.
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 => help justify the purchase...
Post by: ejamer on August 03, 2013, 11:19:41 AM
That's a pricing error that will be corrected shortly. Also, f**k you to the people who hoarded the games and got a bunch of games taken off the Futureshop/Best Buy Trade 2 for (game) list.
Ah, is that what was going on? Makes more sense than thinking they were really on sale for $10.
Also, hoarders suck. I used to live Markham, ON and trying to take advantage of any deal/sale was a nightmare because of the ridiculous hoarding that took place. Living in a small town now means MUCH less selection, but the lack of competition usually works in my favor.
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 => help justify the purchase...
Post by: smallsharkbigbite on August 04, 2013, 09:00:40 AM
I don't know how my SD games are working then, I didn't re-download anything.
Did you actually start a game? My games show up in the Wii U on the SD card as if everything is normal. They just wouldn't load. It gives me an error message that the games cannot be played on this Wii which forced me to download them to make them active.
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 => help justify the purchase...
Post by: Retro Deckades on August 04, 2013, 06:33:16 PM
A fellow over on CAG claims to have picked up a Basic Wii U at Target (in Canada) for $150.
If true, then perhaps we can put this thread to rest.
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $150 => help justify the purchase...
Post by: pokepal148 on August 04, 2013, 06:57:25 PM
A fellow over on CAG claims to have picked up a Basic Wii U at Target (in Canada) for $150.
If true, then perhaps we can put this thread to rest.
I thought the thread already was resting... but $150 is a fantastic price if you are able to find one available.
Unfortunately, this changes nothing for me - the nearest Target that is actually open is comfortably over 1000 km away. For the metrically challenged among you, that's about 620 miles.
Title: Re: Venting: Basic Wii U for $200 => help justify the purchase...
Post by: Retro Deckades on August 04, 2013, 09:27:41 PM
A fellow over on CAG claims to have picked up a Basic Wii U at Target (in Canada) for $150.
If true, then perhaps we can put this thread to rest.
I can see it if the store just opened, and they're doing a $50 instant rebate on a $200 purchase (and they're price matching Walmart).
According to the post, the fellow picked up the last one and asked a clerk to scan it, where it rung up $150. Another account on that site has someone asking a clerk to scan it, and when the $150 price came up they said that must be a mistake and refused to sell it to him.
